A mysterious pandemic, rampant income inequality, a planet ravaged by climate change--the world in We Hear Voices, the debut novel by British author Evie Green, doesn't look much different from the reality many people knew in 2020. Set in a vaguely futuristic London, the spaces occupied by the characters in this modern-day horror story feel simultaneously drab and threatening, familiar yet incomprehensible.
The virus causing the story's pandemic is simply called "the flu," a benign title that does not underscore its true awfulness. When Rachel's six-year-old son, Billy, miraculously recovers after a lengthy battle with the flu, she is so grateful that she disregards Billy's fascination with Delfy, his new imaginary friend--at least until Delfy begins "telling" Billy to do increasingly sinister things. As Rachel struggles to save her son and keep her family together, she must also reconcile her values with what she needs to do to survive--such as moving into "worklifeplus," a late-capitalist nightmare where labor is exploited in exchange for rent-free living.
In addition to Rachel, the story unfolds from the perspectives of Nina, Rachel's ambitious teenage daughter, and Graham Watson, the troubled psychologist who spearheads Billy's treatment. Green's snappy, straightforward prose reveals key pieces of information and draws surprising connections among characters in a fast-paced, natural way that makes this book incredibly immersive. There's also a sense that for many of the story's most unnerving aspects, Green simply held a mirror up to reality--and that may be the scariest part of all. --Angela Lutz, freelance reviewer